Good morning, bakers. Today's the day. Two tracks, same destination: Yeasted with Poolish — if you started your poolish last night, you're on the dinner-ready timeline. Sourdough — longer build, deeper flavor. Worth the wait. Both recipes finish with the alkaline bath, that mahogany crust, and the snap that makes a pretzel loaf a pretzel loaf. Drop in the thread: - Where you are in the process - Photos as you go (poolish, dough, shaped, boiled, baked, sliced) - Questions, anytime. No question is too small. - Wins. Fails. Everything in between. Quick reminders: - Bread sling or parchment makes the boil-to-oven transfer way easier - Everything topping goes on right after the boil while the surface is wet, not after the bake - 4.7L water, 120g baking soda, rolling boil before you dunk - Watch the crust color, you want deep mahogany, not just brown Adjust to fit your kitchen: If the alkaline bath feels like a lot, or your pot's not big enough, or you're juggling one Dutch oven and trying to make it all work, split the dough into two smaller loaves. Smaller loaves are easier to handle in the bath, easier to bake, and just as tasty. Bake time will come down a bit, so watch the color and the internal temp. Adjust to the situation you're in. The recipe works for you, not the other way around. Both recipes are in the Recipe Pantry. Full video walk-through is on YouTube if you need a refresher. Let's bake. Perfection is not required. Progress is. ~ Henry ⭐🔥

That’s sweet and salty crust goes so well together.

Tomorrow is Pretzel Loaf Bake-Along day, and if you're on the yeasted poolish track, tonight is prep night. Here's what to do before bed. Your poolish is a 1:1:1 mix. Equal parts flour and water, plus a tiny pinch of instant yeast. About 0.1% of your flour weight. That's barely an eighth of a teaspoon for a typical batch. Mix it, cover it loosely, and let it sit at room temperature for 8 to 12 hours. By morning, it should be bubbly, slightly domed, and just starting to dip in the middle. The smell will be sweet, yeasty, almost like fresh beer. If it's flat in the morning, it either needs more time or a warmer spot. Don't panic. Move it somewhere warmer and check again in an hour. Sourdough track bakers, build your levain tonight on your normal timing. If your starter's been a little sluggish this week, give it the strongest feeding you've given it all week. You want it climbing the jar by morning. Both tracks meet at the same dough stage tomorrow morning. From there, we're all baking together. Get your tools out tonight too. Bench scraper, scale, banneton, lame, bread sling parchment, slotted spider or pancake spatula as backup, butter ready to melt, everything seasoning in a bowl, Maldon salt nearby. The bath happens fast. You don't want to be hunting for tools when there's hot alkaline water on the stove. Read the cheat sheet one more time before you turn in. It's pinned at the top of the thread. Drop any last questions below. I'm watching the thread tonight. Yeasted recipe with a poolish: https://pantry.bakinggreatbread.com/recipes/yeasted-pretzel-loaf-poolish?utm_source=skool&utm_medium=community&utm_campaign=recipe-share Sourdough recipe: https://pantry.bakinggreatbread.com/recipes/sourdough-pretzel-loaf?utm_source=skool&utm_medium=community&utm_campaign=recipe-share

Family. I’m out this afternoon celebrating Ryan’s graduation from FMU. Master’s degree. Proud day. Get your poolish going and feed those starters tonight. Tomorrow is Pretzel Bread Day and you don’t want to be playing catch-up. I’ll be back late tonight from the ceremony. See you in the kitchen. ~Henry ⭐️🔥

I made these simple Sourdough Dog Treats a couple of days ago and a few of you asked for the recipe. It’s quick and simple. On the Cat Treats, they do have egg in it so if your pet has a chicken or egg allergy DON’T make them. Unfortunately sourdough is not safe for cats so the recipes included don’t contain it. Pictured below is tge Sourdough Dog Treats that I made. 3 Ingredient Sourdough Dog Treats 1 cup Whole Wheat Flour 1 cup Sourdough Discard 1/4 cup Xylitol Free Peanut Butter Preheat oven to 350*F Mix all of the ingredients together using a stand mixer or by hand until combined. Knead by hand to ensure everything is mixed together completely and smoothly. Roll out to 1/4 inch thickness and cut out using your favorite cookie cutter. The size cookie cutter that you use will determine how many treats you have. This recipe easily doubles and quadruples. Place treats on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake treats 14-18 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 195-200*F. Cool treats on a cooling rack. Completely cool treats and place in an airtight container and stir in the fridge for up to two weeks or freeze up to 8 months. Non-Sourdough Dog & Cat Treats • 1 can of tuna in water, drained well • 1 large egg • 1/2 cup (60g) whole wheat flour • Catnip (optional) Instructions 1. Preheat your oven to 350*F 2. Line your baking tray with parchment paper 3. Drain tuna thoroughly 4. In a mixing bowl, break up the tuna into small flakes with a fork 5. Add the egg & mix well until combined 6. Gradually stir in flour until a workable dough forms 7. Fold in catnip 8. Form small, penny-sized balls or cut shapes with a cookie cutter 9. Place treats on the prepared baking tray, leaving a slight space between each 10. Bake for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden and firm to the touch **PLEASE ALLOW TO COOL** Carrot and Catnip Kitty Cat Treats Ingredients - 2 tablespoons oil I use coconut or olive oil - 1 1/4 cups flour - plus additional flour for rolling dough Use whatever flour your cat can have – I used oat - 1 tablespoon dried catnip optional - 3/4 cup finely shredded carrot - 1 large egg, lightly beaten - cold water as needed